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Hi. I’m Ben Benton from Flagstaff, Arizona. I believe that you will enjoy my daily journal from Yellowstone National Park during the summer of 1999. I left downtown Flagstaff with my saddle and duffel in early July and lighted in the horse corral at Mammoth Hot Springs. My journal will continue through September 20th, unless the weather shuts us down earlier. You’ll read about adventures on the back country trails, Yellowstone history, people I meet, and anything else I can think of to write about. I’m the author of “National Park Employment Data,” a guide to working in national parks, which is available for purchase on my web site at www.gorp.com/nped/. I’ve been working in national parks and ski areas off and on for over twenty years. Because I want the data in my book to always be fresh, I continually test the concepts, employers, and tips that I provide. Right now, I’m working for Amfac Parks and Resorts. They are a top notch concession company because they place employee training, morale, and amenities first. |
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Previous 7/16 |
Friday, 8-13-99It’s been so rainy that the corral and horse riding trail are soggy. No work today, except for feeding at 11:00 A.M. The last day I worked was Monday, but, hey, what the heck. I’m on a working vacation, with emphasis on vacation. Rick Railson arrived in Gardner around 1:00 P.M. from Butte, Montana. Rick Railson of Butte, Tom Sperry of Yellowstone’s Madison Junction, and I have been friends for 25 years. We all met at the Town Cafe and Motel to celebrate Rick’s birthday today. I hadn’t seen Rick in thirteen years, but we talk on the phone about once a month. The celebration consisted of a prime rib dinner at the Town Cafe’s Loft Restaurant followed by a pub crawl. Gardiner, Montana, consists of U.S. Highway 89 leading to the park entrance. Facing the park entrance are Park Street and, a block behind, Main Street. We peeked into the Blue Goose Saloon on Park Street, the Two Bit Saloon around the corner on U.S. 89, the K-Bar on Main Street, and finally the Wapiti Bar next door to the K-Bar. None of them felt comfortable until the Wapiti (Wapiti is the Indian word for Elk. Actually it means “white butt”). Wapiti has Miller High Life on tap, which is my favorite. Wapiti is a typical small town Montana bar. First, there’s a row of poker machines, since gambling is legal in Montana. Second, it’s for sale — for $240,000 — and includes the small house behind. They said the liquor license is worth that much alone since no more are available in the county. Third, it has a jar of pickled eggs on the back bar and a sign over the cash register which reads, “The Customer is Always Right HOWEVER the Bartender May Determine You Are Not a Customer.” The Two Bit Saloon is also for sale. Could be due to the fact that every bar in Gardiner has 50-cent drafts everyday for happy hour. We went there next to see the live band. The cover charge was $1. We entered and found the room with the band playing empty and the front room, where the bar is, packed. I had one glass of Moose Drool and bid farewell to Rick and Tom and headed back to Mammoth Hot Springs.  |
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